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Atlantic 10 Roundup (12/26-1/2)
1/2/2013
The Atlantic 10 weekly roundup covers updates on all of the happenings within the conference, including big game results, updated standings, and more. It will run every Wednesday, covering the previous week.
The Musketeers struggles continued this past week, with a heartbreaking loss to Tennessee that included another blown lead. Losses are mounting for Xavier, who stands at 7-5 with a game against Wake Forest tonight to finish up non-conference play. Judging from the strength of the A10, things are not going to get any easier.
Key Results from the Week that Was:
Saint Joseph's 96, Iona 91: Things aren't getting easier for the Hawks, who needed a shootout to beat Iona and avoid a .500 start to the season. Jones (32 points), Galloway (23) and Aiken (22) led the way for the Hawks, who could be scary if they start stringing together quality victories.
Tennessee 51, Xavier 47: Brutal road loss and a brutal game for Xavier. The Musketeers held a 10 point lead in the second half before they were held without a field goal for more than 10 minutes by the Volunteers. Xavier has now dropped three in a row.
#18 Butler 68, Vanderbilt 49: Not a huge game, but another workman-like performance by the Bulldogs in a game they could not afford to lose. A road victory in a tough environment, even with Vanderbilt having a down season, cannot be ignored and certainly won't hurt come tournament time, or when they invade other hostile environments in the A10.
USC 63, Dayton 61, Overtime: Talk about brutal losses. For a Flyers team that opens conference play with games at VCU and against Butler, this was not one they could afford to lose. Yes, they had to travel across country, but losing to an eight loss Trojans team doesn't look good. It's worse when you consider they won all of six games last year and just one in the Pac12.
Saint Louis 60, #20 New Mexico 46: Coming off a road win against then-undefeated Cincinnati, the Lobos faced just as big of a challenge in their tough schedule with a game against the Billikens. SLU reeled off their seventh straight victory with a smothering defense that held the Lobos to just 13 points in the first half. New Mexico could not recover. Big win for the Billikens as they've gotten senior guard and leader Kwamain Mitchell back after foot surgery.
Atlantic 10 Standings:
- Charlotte (11-2)
- Butler (10-2)
- Temple (10-2)
- La Salle (9-2)
- Saint Louis (10-3)
- Virginia Commonwealth (10-3)
- Massachusetts (8-3)
- Dayton (9-4)
- Richmond (9-5)
- Saint Joseph's (7-4)
- Xavier (7-5)
- St. Bonaventure (7-5)
- Duquesne (7-7)
- George Washington (6-6)
- Rhode Island (4-8)
- Fordham (4-10)
Team of the Week:
Saint Louis Billikens: Things are only on the upswing for the Billikens, as Kwamain Mitchell returns to lead his team. A seven game winning streak that should be eight after Friday's game against Savannah State, Saint Louis should be considered a top contender in the conference this year. With shaky starts by normal powers Xavier and Saint Joseph's, SLU could be competing with the likes of VCU, Butler and Temple for the conference crown. With home games against Dayton, Saint Joseph's and VCU, Saint Louis can avoid some tougher environments, despite their home and home series with Butler this season.
Loser from the Week:
Xavier Musketeers and Dayton Flyers: The rivals showed a startling ineptitude on the road, with respective losses to the Volunteers and USC. Neither squad looks to be extremely strong this year and both could be headed for the NIT. That's especially disappointing for both programs, who consider themselves among the elite of the conference. But for Xavier, at least they take some solace knowing they have (probably) their best basketball in front of them and the worst (probably) behind them. For Dayton, this was supposed to be a "if not now, when" year for Archie Miller and company. Now, what was supposed to be a season where they finally got a win in Cintas for the first time seems ever so unlikely.
Games to Watch this Week:
Xavier at Wake Forest, 1/2, 7:00 on ESPN3
Air Force at Richmond, 1/2, 7:00
La Salle at Miami (FL), 1/2, 9:00 on ESPN3
Lehigh at VCU, 1/5, 5:00 on NBCS
Temple at Kansas, 1/6, 4:30 on CBS
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